Updates regarding Stanford Transportation programs and services in response to the rapidly evolving events surrounding COVID-19 (also called novel coronavirus) will be published at transportation.stanford.edu/COVID-19 as they become available. General updates are available for the university community at healthalerts.stanford.edu.
Effective November 1, 2006, all golf cart-type vehicles shall be registered with Stanford Transportation and must display a valid permit in order to operate or park on the Stanford campus. This requirement applies to fleet vehicles displaying the university seal/logo or "carts" utilized by disabled placard holders. The University considers any motorized Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) or mini-truck to be a golf cart-type vehicle.
Golf cart-type vehicles at Stanford may only be used for the following purposes:
Student use of carts for personal transportation (other than disability-related needs) is expressly prohibited. Stanford University is private property and has the authority to control cart / LSV use on campus and restrict access to certain areas. Only vehicles bearing the appropriate annual or temporary permit shall use parking areas designated for permit parking.
Download the Motorized Cart Permit Application from the application forms page.
This free, online course should be taken by everyone who wants to drive a cart on campus. It presents cart driving and parking rules, describes what permits are required for driving a cart onto campus, and explains how to obtain cart permits and stickers.
Persons with temporary or permanent disabilities who need to utilize a personal golf cart (or Segway) on campus can apply for cart use authorization from Stanford Transportation. Stanford Transportation does not have carts available for loan or rental.
Other on-campus transportation options to consider include Stanford DisGo or the Marguerite shuttle. If you choose to rent a cart, you may continue to use DisGo.
To obtain authorization, students must:
Please submit all required documentation to Stanford Transportation at:
Once all required documentation is reviewed and approved, Stanford Transportation will email you a permit. Your permit must be displayed on the cart's windshield to be legally operated on the main campus.
Students then may contact Turf and Industrial Equipment (T.I.E dba Golf Car Rental Company) and inquire whether they have carts available to rent.
Turf and Industrial Equipment (T.I.E dba Golf Car Rental Company)
Turf and Industrial Equipment (T.I.E.) will arrange to meet the student on campus and drop off an electric golf cart after receiving authorization from Stanford Transportation. Students are responsible for returning the cart (and key) to a pre-determined drop-off location for T.I.E. to pick up, before the cart permit's expiration date.
Send your cart number to transportation@stanford.edu. You can find your cart number on your cart rental agreement or on your cart's dashboard.
Faculty or staff must receive authorization from the Diversity & Access Office before Stanford Transportation will issue a cart permit to persons with disabilities.
Faculty or staff can contact the Diversity & Access Office:
All motorized vehicle (including cart) access through the Main Quad's service drives (under the arches), within the inner courtyards, and inside the Quad itself, requires prior authorization from Stanford Transportation and a special "PZ/MQ Service Drive" sticker on their permit or placard. These stickers allow 20-minute access for loading/unloading purposes only. Carts, like all other motorized vehicles, are not allowed to operate or park inside the covered arcades, under any circumstances.
Within the Pedestrian Zone (PZ), vehicles should follow designated cart routes as shown on the Pedestrian Zone Access Map.
Carts and LSVs (e.g. "Gems" and "Thinks") can now access the PZ via a pathway adjacent to the Duena Gate. General cart parking is now available along Escondido Mall, just inside the Duena Gate entrance. The Pedestrian Zone Access Map indicates this location as well as other designated cart parking areas within the Pedestrian Zone.
| Cart Operation |
• DO operate carts only on designated routes as per the PZ Access map. • DO observe speed limits for motorized vehicles. • DO reduce speed on pathways and in pedestrian areas. |
• DO NOT use carts in the following areas: - Inner courtyard of the Main Quad. - Covered arcades, such as those around the Main Quad, Green Library, Law School, and Old Union. - Sidewalks (or pathways parallel to a roadway) • DO NOT exceed the speed of pedestrian traffic in crowded pedestrian areas. • DO NOT overcrowd or overload carts. • DO NOT drive without a valid driver's license |
|---|---|---|
| Cart Parking |
• DO park only in designated cart or service parking areas. |
• DO NOT park on unpaved surfaces, such as landscaping or bark-covered areas. • DO NOT block building entrances, stairways, disabled ramps, or thoroughfares. • DO NOT chain vehicles to signposts, railings, trees, etc. |
| Cart Charging |
• DO charge electric carts at charging locations designated for your department. |
• DO NOT run extension cords to carts from inside buildings. • DO NOT park in a cart charging station assigned to another department. |
Drivers must abide by the California Vehicle Code and exercise due caution. The Department of Public Safety enforces the appropriate and safe use of all vehicles (including motorized carts) and will issue tickets accordingly. Improperly parked vehicles will be cited, towed, "booted," or otherwise immobilized by Public Safety or other University authorized personnel.
Policies applicable to motorized carts are detailed in the following documents available online:
Failure to adhere to these policies may result in disciplinary action or loss of access privileges.
